Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-09-16
The Centennial of the ConSti-
tuition.

tuition.
We give considerable of our space
today to sketch Of the formation ct
our National Constitution, and the
historical events leading to it, taken
from q BOYS magazine and intended
for the edifcation of our younger
readers. The centennial celebration
of the event began in Phil'a yester-
day, and will continue during today
and tomorrow. Butler county was
but a wilderness when that grand pa
per was signed. but several OF our
citizens will witness the celebration,
and our military company will take
part. The signing of the federal
constitution century ago, was as Gov
ernor Beaver we'll says in his procla-
nation, "an event which has few
equals in Importance in the history
of the world. 1.-THE Convention which
sat in Philadelphia from May % to
September IT, 1881, wrought frame
of government without a parallel in
ancient or modern times. Well may
the people who enjoy SO
many blessings now
give themselves up to a ajubilant COM
memoration of that achievment and
of the statesmen whose work must
ever be source of growing wonder
and admiration.
To the genius of these men the
foremost statesman of England has
paid the following tribute
"As the British constitution is
the most subtitle organism which has
proceeded from progressive history,
so the American constitution is the
most wonderful work ever struck off
at given time by the brain and pqr-
pose man,
We cite these words of Mr.. Glad
stone not only because they embody
the estimate ofa most competent for
eign judge. but also because they
touch the point of greatest wonder in
our constitution and greatest genius
in its trainers. The British constitu-
ton, he says, "bas proceeded
from progressive history"
The American was ':strpck off at o
given time" The former is unWrit-
ten. 1t was not made by one body
of men, nor at one time. 1t is the
result of growth-a redual develop
ment. Ours is written instrument,
made by body of men in one sum-
mer.
With the exception Of the last three
amendments, added since the war, it
is now substantially the work
that came from the hands
of the trainers a hundred
years ago. True, there are twelve
amendments to the original document
besides the post war additions. But
of these twelve, the first ten were
proposed by Congress lfSa, the eley-
enth in 1894 and the twelfth 1903.
Contrast the time when the Con-
stitution was made with the present.
Then there were thirteen States;
now there are thirty eight. Then
they were all on the Atlantic sea-
board; new they stretch across the
continent to the Pacific and from the
lakes to the Gulf. The people then
numbered less than four millions ;
they now number sixty millions.
Our national boundaries have since
been pushed far beyond their origi-
nal limits. Agriculture. commerce,
manufactures, national wealth, have
swollen to stupendoAs proportions.
To the trainers of the constitution
railroads aud telegraphs were un-
Known Steam navigation was
something of the future. The we'll
nigh illimitable corporate power aud
wealth of the present were not
dreamed Of In short, the nation of
to-day would be q wondrous revela-
ton to the statesman of the last GEN.
tury.
Yet it is governed by the same
constitution which they framed.
That instrument has been equal to
the miraculous development of q
century in States, population, com
merce, industry, national wealth, eF.
erything. 1t has met every require
mont of peace, proved adequate to ev-
cry threatened emergency and with
stood the shock of war. 1t has been
successfully applied to conditions IN
forseen by its trainers, and under it
governmental problems have been
solved WHICH they COULD not have
anticipated. This test of time is q
test of the genius of those who made
the federal CONSTITUTE on and of the
wonderful character of their work.
To frame form of government for
the present is but the task of ordi
nary craftsmanship. A constitution
meets all the demands of hundred
years of extraordinary national e1-
pansion is the product of rare hg man
wisdom and foresight. The federal
constitution alone has stood this test
of greatness. In none of the thir
teen original States is the constitu'
tion first adopted now in force. New
or revised instruments have been
found necessary to new conditions
And this is true also Of most of the
younger States.
Well, then, may Mr.. Gladstone
pronounce the American constitution
the most most wonderful work evel
struck off at a given time by the
brain and purpose of man."
They Must Hang.